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SB-73 Interplanetary Bomber
The SB-73 ''Vernichter ''is a dedicated interplanetary bomber used by the Fourth German Reich Navy. Although the importance of interplanetary bombers has severely receded since its introduction, the GGRN still operates a sizeable number from its planetary and orbital installations. Originally designed for delivering enormous payloads to potential enemies on Mars or Pluto, its role has largely been diminished in favor of orbital bombardment from dreadnoughts. There are currently no plans to phase out the SB-73 in favor of newer bombers and efforts to upgrade the existing fleet are largely nonexistent. While no official statement has been given on the matter, it would appear that the existing SB-73s will remain in service until they are no long spaceworthy. The GGR's use of interplanetary bombers will likely come to an end after the SB-73s are finally decommissioned. Description Design and Construction The SB-73 was approved to enter the design and simulation phase by Chief of Stellar Aviation Rear Admiral Alfred Schulhoff in 2174. The SB-73 was designed to be the direct successor to the SB-54 interplanetary bomber. Designers kept the same basic flying wing shape but gave the SB-73 the ability to carry nearly double the amount of ordnance as the SB-54. The SB-73 was designed with wars against Pluto and particularly Mars in mind. German planning for a war against Mars at the time envisioned SB-73s flying constant sorties to devastate infrastructure and fortifications on the planet. The SB-73 was approved for construction in 2177 after a relatively short design phase. All SB-73s were constructed in the Großdeutsches Stellar Warfare Technologies manufacturing facility on Venus. Propulsion Systems The SB-73's engines are powered by 2 super fission reactors. The SB-73 is one of the last GGR vehicles to use fission propulsion instead of fusion propulsion. The inefficiency of the fission reactors gives the SB-73 a much shorter effective range compared to other spacecraft that use fusion reactors. The SB-73 is also forced to continuously vent excess heat and toxic byproducts allowing the bomber to be easily tracked by modern sensor arrays. Weapons Systems The SB-73 is equipped with 4 hull mounted 20mm cannons operated by the ship's computer to defend against enemy starfighters and interceptors. Its payload is stored on 14 external hardpoints and in 8 internal bomb bays. When fully loaded, the SB-73 is capable of carrying nearly 600,000 pounds (272,155 kg) of ordnance. The SB-73 is capable of carrying nuclear weapons but only on its external hardpoints. Bomb Guidance Control System Each SB-73 is equipped with a bomb guidance control center that allows a user to assist in guiding bombs to their target. While all GGR ordnance is already equipped with an advanced guidance system, each individual bomb can be linked to the bomb guidance control center for increased precision. The control center also lets individual bombs exchange information on countermeasures to help avoid them. The user can also use live feeds from the bombs to direct each one to hit a specific target in the designated area. Operation Facilities The SB-73 can be stored and launched from installations on celestial bodies such as planets, moons, or even asteroids. SB-73s can also be based and launched from orbital hangars orbiting the previously mentioned celestial bodies. Of the two SB-73 squadrons based on Earth, one operates from a spaceplane base outside Munich, and the other operates from the GGRN orbital hangar facilities in synchronous orbit with Hindenburg.